Green Dragon Rising
by Strumwulf
Summary: What if Rita selected someone else to be the Green Ranger. Watch as Daria Morgendorffer assumes the role of the Green Ranger. Inspired by conversations over at the PPMB. Chapter 2 added.
1. Part 1 - Being Chosen

**Part 1 - Being Chosen**

****Daria was annoyed, upset and depressed. She stood off to the side of the steps leading away from Angel Grove High School as she gathered her thoughts and tried to rein in her emotions. She was annoyed at her fellow students because of their overly cheerful attitudes, and the constant volunteerism, which reminded her how different Angel Grove was from Lawndale. Even Jodie hadn't volunteered this much. She was sure that Ms. Li would love the students at Angel Grove for the honor and glory they would bring to the school, and tear her hair out in frustration that she wasn't choosing what activities where being done. Damn it, she had told herself she wouldn't think of Lawndale, as she felt a tear form in the corner of her eye.

Brushing the tear away, Daria's thoughts turned to her mother, the creator of her woes. Though it would only pried from her lips through torture, she missed Lawndale. There were a couple of good teachers, she had been friendly with a surprisingly large portion of the student body, and Ja ...No she wasn't going there. Better to focus on Helen. Helen Morgendorffer once again ruled from on high, and the family had no choice but to follow. Anything to make partner. Work all weekend, no problem. Cancel a trip you been planning for months, no problem. Move across the country at a moments notice, no problem. While, she had been grateful to her parents for leaving Highland, all accounts were now overdrawn in regards to Helen. She would do what she had to get through the next 2 and half years in regards with dealing with Helen, then she would be off to college and never shall the twain meet again.

Surprisingly, she had found some common ground with Quinn in regards to how they would deal with Helen. She had been shocked when Quinn had turned down the use of Helen's credit card, but it was tempered by the knowledge that Quinn had used Dad's card later that day. At least Helen spent even more time in the office, than she had back in Lawndale, so they didn't have to interact beyond an occasional meal eaten in silence. Daria was actually considering joining one of the school groups, and working on ways to pay for college that wouldn't involve Helen, just so she would have one less thing tying them together. Grasping her anger like it was a physical object, Daria adjusted her bag and started to head to her new house. As Daria made her way down the stairs, she was bumped into and stumbled down the last few steps. She saw a flash of green cloth, felt a steading hand, and heard a mumbled apology. Glad to have a subject to unleash her anger on, she turned toward her victim, when a cry of "Amiga" distracted her as she was pulled into a hug.

"Jane? How? When did you?" Daria stammered as she turned to face her friend and return the hug.

"Long story, you done for today? This will require pizza." Jane said as stepped back and looked at her friend. "You don't look so good. What's happened?"

"I'll tell you over pizza. Come on, there is place near by that does a decent pie."

In a booth at Ernie's, the reunited duo ate in a strained silence, until Jane finally said, "You're mad at me, aren't ya."

"No, yes. Moving here sucked. Everything is different from Lawndale, which reminds me of it, and then of you. I tried to call and write you, and what do I get? Nothing, because you're not there. I even called Jodie and Mr. DeMartino to see if they knew where you where." Daria snapped out.

"Phone call. I knew I was forgetting something." Jane interjected into Daria's rant.

"I've resorted to hanging out with Quinn of all people. And please, don't get me started on the monster attacks." Daria continued.

"Monster attacks? No, no, Tell me later. As for me, I got lost on the road of life." Jane said sadly. "So, I left Lawndale about week after you did. You're my best friend, and I was afraid I'd lose you once you got to the other side of the country. Trent gave me some cash and said he'd catch up with me in few months, then dropped me off at the bus station. I hopped on the first bus out of Lawndale, and ended up in DC, I had a day until the next bus heading in this direction left. So, I went and saw the Smithsonian. I saw so much art there, that I decided to go see the other big museums, on my way out here. So I spent the last two months travelling to New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and various points in between and finally here. I became a wandering Lane, and you know what? It totally sucked."

"Why? You were seeing art, meeting other artists, no responsibilities." Daria replied questioningly.

"Because I couldn't share it with you or Trent. I think that Trent is the only Lane that might be getting it right. He stays in one place most of the time, but when he goes somewhere he has someone with him." Jane answered.

Just then Bulk & Skull slid into the booth next to the girls, and Skull said, "Hey ladies want to go out with some real gentleman."

"Let me know as soon as some show up, and I'll consider it," Jane snarked.

Bulk and Skull smirked at each other and went to put their arms around the girls. Daria and Jane slipped further into the booth to avoid arms reaching for them.

"Enough, you two misanthropic wastes of flesh." Daria snarled as she stepped onto the table and planted on her feet on Bulk's chest pushing him back in the seat. Skull started standing up to grab her, when Daria glared at him and he shrank back into the seat. "Ever since I got to this town, I've seen you two try to proposition or threaten everybody in school and generally just annoy all of us. Why don't you do everyone a favor and get yourselves stepped on by one of the monsters, or even better the Ranger's stupid robots."  
>As Daria paused to take a breath, Ernie showed and grabbed the unwelcome pair by their ears and pulled them away. "Your food and drinks are free today," Ernie said in a parting shot.<br>"Come on, Amiga. Let's go somewhere more private, so you can vent." Jane said as she slid out of the booth. Daria silently followed her out, then lead Jane to the nearby park.

Meanwhile on the Moon

Rita paced around her palace throwing curses and insults at her followers for their latest failure to defeat the Power Rangers, when a glint from one of the corners caught her eye. Making her way over to see what caught her eye, she saw a simple golden coin. Picking it up, Rita started laughing maniacally, then shouted, "I've got you now, Zordon. You and your little Rangers will be destroyed by one of your own. Now to find someone to use the coin!"

Focusing her telescope on Angel Grove, Rita then cast a spell on the power coin and the telescope. She watch as a thousand of faces flashed by until only two remained. One of a young man fighting the Red Ranger to a tie, and the second of a slight teenage girl causing the two fools that were always bugging the Rangers get themselves in trouble with a few choice words. Rita examined the boy and decided that while he had exceptional fighting skills, he didn't have that edge she was looking for. Turning her attention to the girl, Rita saw the barely leashed emotional storm brewing in the girl, as well as the razorsharp intellect, the inclination to notice a person's weak points and attack them verbally, though she would change that. The lack of fighting skills could be fixed either with some spells or an artifact, especially since she didn't want to wait for someone to trained the long way. Having made her decision, Rita refocused her telescope on her Ranger's present location. After watching Daria and Jane, Rita noted that was something about Jane that she felt need to looked at as well. Looking into things that attracted her attention was one of the reasons why Rita had become one of the most feared people in the Galaxy before Zordon imprisoned her.

Turning to Goldar, Rita ordered, "Grab both girls, as uninjured as possible. Squatt, Baboo go with him. Finster, I want a bunch of putties to distract the Rangers. I don't want any interruptions by the Rangers, when you idiots get me my new Ranger."  
>With a chorus of "Yes, Your Majesty", the monsters went about their appointed tasks.<p>

Back on Earth

Daria and Jane had found a table in a park near Ernie's, and were eating what was left of their pizza. Jane finally broke the silence asking, "So what's up with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-dum?"

"Bulk and Skull? Those two are the most ineffectual bullies, I've ever had the displeasure to meet. Most of the time, they are trying to figure out who the Power Rangers are, and the rest of the time, Jason and his group of do-gooders handle them." Daria answered.

"Ooh, who's Jason? A guy got enough of your attention, that you know his name." Jane teased. "Will I have to tell Trent that you've tossed him over for a new love?"

Daria blushed, then threw a pizza crust at Jane and said. "God, I've missed this."

"Me too, amiga, me too. " Jane added. "I'm not letting a few thousand miles get in the way of us."

Daria blushed again and stammered out, "You know that I'm not that way."

"Neither am I. But our friendship is the best thing to happen to me. I'm not letting go of that and I don't handle long distance very well. Look at how I relate with any member of my family, besides Trent." Jane said as she grabbed hold of one of Daria's hand across the table.

In the Command Center, alarms were going off as Alpha 5 scurries around silencing the alarms and activating the Viewing Globe. "Ai, ai, ai. Zordon, There is a large group of Putties attacking the Business District. What shall we do?"

"Calm down, Alpha and alert the Rangers." Zordon ordered with his usual calm manner.

"Roger, Zordon. Calling the Rangers now." Alpha said as he activated the communicators.

"Rangers, Rita has sent down a large group of Putties. Teleport to their location and take of them before they cause any harm." Zordon said

In a classroom, the Rangers listen to Zordon, and Jason answers. "We on it, Zordon."

Looking at the other Rangers, Jason says, "All right, It's Morphin' time." The 5 rangers morphed, then teleported to location of the putties.

When Rita saw the Rangers engaged with Putties, she turned to Goldar, Squat and Baboo, and screeched, "Go get me those girls. Alive!"

With the command ringing in their ears, the three monsters teleported down to the park several yards from the two girls. Goldar pointed his sword at Daria and Jane and growled, "Empress Rita, has commanded your presence. Come quietly and you will not be harmed."

Daria and Jane like all sensible humans when confronted by monsters, started running away from them. Goldar quickly caught up to the pair and batted Jane to one side with his sword, sending her tumbling into some of the playground equipment that was near the exit. As Goldar grabbed Daria's arm, he shouted at Squat and Baboo. "The net, you fools. Get the other girl before she gets away."

Squat and Baboo stretched out a net between them and ran towards Jane. Due to the hit she had taken, she was dazed and in pain, and therefore unable to avoid the two bumbling monsters.

Seconds after they appeared, the three monsters disappeared with their prize.

As the Rangers dealt with the last of the Putties, their communicators activated and Zordon spoke, "Rangers, Goldar has appeared with Squat and Baboo. I'm teleporting you to his location now."

"Roger," the Rangers replied as they disappeared in the colored beams of light. They quickly reappeared across town at the park. The Rangers quickly looked around the park and did not see Goldar.

"Zordon, there is nobody here." Kim said into her communicator. "Whatever, Goldar was doing, he finished before we got here."

"Very well, Rangers. Alpha and I will see if we can discover what Goldar was up to. We will call you when we know more." Zordon replied.

With that the Rangers demorphed, and headed to Ernie's Juice Bar. None of them noticed the black backpack lying on the ground next to one of the tables.


	2. Part 2 - The Cynic's New Clothes

**Part 2 - The Cynic's New Clothes**

Daria struggled against Goldar's iron grip to no avail, as she was dragged through a palace on the moon, of all things. They were followed by Squatt and Baboo, who held Jane between them still wrapped up in a net. The group eventually stopped in front of a balcony where Rita Repulsa stood.

"The humans you wanted, Your Majesty," Goldar said as he made a sweeping bow.

"About time, you did something right." Rita snarled. As Rita made her way down the steps to the main floor, Daria watched her with trepidation.

"I'm going to give a great honor, girl. You get to be my Power Ranger." Rita said as she tilted Daria's chin up so they were looking each other in the eye.

"And if I refuse?" Daria snapped out, while thinking, "Why did I say that, oh god, I'm going die and Jane will be killed as well."

"You have spirit, that's excellent. But I'm not giving you a choice, Green Ranger." Rita snarled as she blasted Daria with a stream of magical energy.

Daria let out a scream of pain then collapsed. Jane shouted, "Daria", and struggled against the net, trying to reach Daria.

"Be careful, you're only here because I want to find out what is about you that caught my eye. I can easily dispose of you instead." Rita said as she glared at Jane. "Put this one in a cell, while we prepare our ranger." Jane slumped against her bonds, as she watched Finster and several putties picked up Daria and carried her away.

As the putties finish wrapping Daria with cloth bandages, Finster started pouring a wax-like substance over her. Once wax had cooled, Daria is then suspended in mid-air as if she was crucified. The Power Coin floats in front of Daria and green energy starts to arc from the coin to her. As the energy touches Daria, she twists and arches in pain, and her eyes can be seen flashing green through the wrappings covering her head.

Rita swept into Finster's workshop and screeched, "Finster". Finster peaked out from where he was working on the monster maker, and answered, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I want to make sure my Ranger has the skills to defeat Zordon's brats. Bring me a device that will do this, Finster, or I will make our previous imprisonment seem like an afternoon nap for you." Rita ordered threateningly.

"I will not fail you, Your Majesty." Finster replied as he bowed. After Rita left, Finster sat down at his work bench rubbing his chin in thought. "Now, where did I leave that?" He mumbled to himself. Sometime later, we see Finster leaving the palace then disappeared through a portal.

Goldar approached Rita cautiously, stopping where he knew she hear him, before speaking. "Your Majesty, I have concerns about this human you have chosen."

Rita was apparently in a good mode, as she didn't screech at him or blast him with a spell. He already lost his wings as punishment, he didn't want to know what she would do next. Rita didn't say anything, but turned to look at him. Taking her silence as permission, Goldar started speaking, "This human has no fighting skill. While the morphin grid adds a certain amount of skill, I do not think it will be enough for your Ranger to defeat any of the current Rangers in combat. The previous wielders have all been skilled warriors, before assuming the position."

"Thank you, Goldar. It's moments like this, that I remember why I made you my General. Finster is retrieving an item that will address your concern. Until he returns, you will train my Ranger once she awakens. No lasting injuries." Rita commanded before turning her attention back to earth.

Jane figured it was around 4 days between when she last saw Daria and when the giant space monkey dragged Daria into the room. Daria was dressed in cloth wrappings that were extremely ragged and torn, and looked she had gone 10 rounds with Ali and Frazier at the same time. Her bruises appeared to have bruises. Jane tore a scrap of cloth off her t-shirt, dipped it into the bowl of water that she had been given earlier, then gingerly started to clean any cuts and scrapes she saw.

Daria woke slowly to a badly sung lullaby, and a gentle touch on one of her many bruises. Opening her eyes as far as she could, Daria saw Jane leaning over her dabbing at a sore spot. "Hey, you're awake." Jane said with a sad smile. "What are they doing to you?"  
>With a grimace, Daria forced herself into a sitting position, "Beating some kind of fighting skill into me. I'm going to fight the other Rangers soon."<br>"Why, can't you just refuse? You've always stood up when it has been important."  
>"No, I can't refuse a direct order. I might be able to circumvent an order if it might put you in harm's way. Whatever she did to make me the Green Ranger included a spell binding me to her orders. But I'll protect you while a drop of blood remains in my body. Please whatever happens, stay safe." Daria whispered.<p>

With a furtive look around, Jane leaned down and whispered into Daria's ear, "Do what you have to get us out of here. I'll do my best to be available for a rescue, if I don't find my own way out of here."  
>Before Daria could reply, the cell door opened and Squatt and Baboo entered. "Oh, dear." Baboo fussed. "Goldar really worked you over this time. You'll need some extra time in the tank. Squatt, be careful with her this time."<br>"Ok, time to go." Squatt said cheerfully as he picked up Daria and slung her over a shoulder, while sending Jane flying to one corner of the room as he brushed her aside.  
>"I said be careful, you idiot." Baboo scolded Squatt as they left the room.<p>

Rita looked down at the human girl as she floated in the recovery tank, healing from the injuries that Goldar had inflicted. While she rarely expended such effort on one her minions, Rita wanted her Ranger in top condition, so that the Rangers and that meddler Zordon would finally be defeated, than destroyed. At her signal, the human was yanked from the tank by some putties. Rita then cast a series of spells which culminated in her taking a crystal blade from Fenster and stabbing Daria in the heart before dropping her back into the tank. As they walked away, Rita questioned, "This will grant my Ranger the skills to defeat the Rangers and Zordon?"  
>"Of course, Your Majesty," Fenster said flatteringly. "The essence of a great warrior and assassin is bound to the crystal. This process and your spells will transfer his skills to the human."<br>"Which assassin?"  
>"The Eagle."<br>"Excellent choice, Fenster. Let me know when the Green Ranger is ready for action."  
>Of course, Your Majesty." Fenster said bowing, as Rita continued walking down the hall.<p>

Rita leaned forward to contemplate the Green Ranger from her throne, then said, "Those brats and the old fool have interfered with my plans for the last time. You know who they are, and where to find them. Destroy them all, my Green Ranger. I want them broken and begging for mercy, before I end them for all time."  
>With a stiff bow, the Green Ranger acknowledged the order and turned to leave, when Rita said, "Bring the girl here, first." The Green Ranger bowed again and left the room. A short time later, the Green Ranger returned to the throne room followed by two putties that were carrying Jane. The putties stopped in front of the throne with Jane hanging by her arms between them, while the Green Ranger stood off to one side. At the same time, Fenster, Squatt and Baboo could be seen peaking into the room.<p>

"Lets see what makes you special, girl?" Rita said as she stood up and waved her staff at Jane. Jane briefly glowed blue, yellow, pink, black, red then white. Fenster's exclamation of "Oh, Dear" echoed through the room, before Rita screeched, "A Morphing Grid Channeler! Putties, Kill her now!" As the putties dropped Jane's arms, the Green Ranger appeared between them and destroyed them with a flurry of kicks and punches. Rita screamed as she shot a blast of energy at the Green Ranger, "Impudent brat, how dare you disobey me!" The Green Ranger scooped up Jane and jumped away from the explosion. The Green Ranger landed next Fenster and shoved Jane into his arms, while she growled, "If she gets hurt, I'm going to rip your spine out." She then dashed at Rita, while drawing the Dragon Flute. Just before she reached Rita, Goldar appeared in front of the Green Ranger swinging his sword. The Green Ranger blocked the sword with the Dragon Flute, then spun into a kick that slammed her left foot into his jaw. As Goldar staggered back, the Green Ranger slipped past him and was in front of Rita pressing the Dragon Flute against her throat. The Green Ranger said harshly, "Jane will not be hurt or we'll see if you can breath without a throat." Rita gulped and said, "Fine, as long as the girl remains in the palace, she will not be harmed." As soon as Rita finished speaking, the Green Ranger was taking Jane from Fenster and left the room.

As soon as the Green Ranger was out of sight, Rita screamed, "You idiots! How could you let that happen? Goldar, as soon as the Rangers are done for, get rid of the brat. I've got such an headache."


End file.
